Sibling Rivalry
by Flipper Boid Skua
Summary: A Shedinja and Ninjask are at each other's throat and it's up to a young Abra to solve their family issues. But will things go according to plan, or will it go horribly wrong? A more detailed summary inside. Rated for language. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Pokemon franchise or any of its characters.

I decided to do this story from an idea conceived by a group in deviantART, called PMD-e (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorer) who give out tasks and missions for their members to complete for points and prizes. I just recently became a member, but I did find one of their past tasks to be highly interesting. I know I'm way late to the game (this task was set in February), but I can't help myself!

Anywho, for those who don't know what the hell I'm talking about, the **basic summary** of the plot: A Shedinja has posted a task for the Rescuers to deal with his unruly Ninjask brother and banish him from the village. At the same time, that same Ninjask posted a task for some Rogues to beat up on his arrogant brother and teach him a lesson. Such a thing can't end well and a rookie Rescuer is caught in the middle of it all. Can she fix their problems before things get out of hand or will everything quickly take a downward spiral? Find out here and I hope you enjoy! :D

* * *

Chapter 1

"Hey, we got a few new Tasks on the message board." Hallow pointed out in a soft tone of voice, the Ghost/Bug-type looking over at his Psychic partner sitting back against a tree nearby. Although she appeared to be sleeping, the insect knew better and flashed his halo insistently.

"Ugh..." Aura groaned as she stayed rooted to her spot. "Do we have to...? I'm feeling another nap coming on!" The other Pokemon didn't answer and merely stared at her. Although he said and did nothing, it was getting the message across quite clearly and the Abra whined a bit as she shifted. "Man, you gonna make me stand..." she muttered her typical complaint when forcing herself to get off her lazy tail. Standing up with a yawn, she wandered over to take a look, lazily opening her eyes to scan the board. Beside her, the floating husk only paid mind to one particular note.

"I'm especially inclined on this one."

Aura glanced at Hallow to see which one he was referring to before squinting to make out the scribbles. "'A Shedinja is expressing concern over his ruffian brother, a Ninjask who lives in Mossy Village.'" At this, Aura looked at her friend with an amused expression. "Really, Hallow? Are you only interested because they're in the same family tree as you?"

"Perhaps." Hallow responded with a slightly amused tone of his own; at least he was honest, and Aura couldn't really fault him for it. She knew how much Shedinjas valued Ninjasks in general, and Hallow was especially attached to the Ninja Pokemon. However, when the Abra continued reading out loud, she knew this was not gonna be the pleasant Task that they were expecting.

"'The Shedinja has tried to talk the Ninjask out of his violent attitude and rash way of handling personal problems, but he can't get through to him! He'd like it if a Rescuer team came out to Mossy Village, caught the Ninjask, and banished him from the village. The Ninjask more than likely will not listen to reason, so feel free to rough him up, but only a little bit, if it comes to that.'"

Silence blanketed over the two as they stared at the post in question. Finally, after what felt like forever, Aura shifted her attention to her friend, her concern spreading over her face.

"I...I think it would be best if you...er...sit this one out..." she muttered. After another long moment, Hallow whispered his response softly.

"You're accepting it then..."

"Yeah, I mean...I did stand up for it." She rubbed the back of her head at that failed attempt to lighten the mood and she looked back to the message board. "In all seriousness, it doesn't sound too difficult really, especially for beginners like us."

"You're aware you're weak to Bugs, right?"

"Yeah, but I don't think it'll matter. I'm sure I can talk sense into that Ninjask. I mean, my evolutionary family tend to be classified as wise and extremely intelligent, so maybe he'll listen to me...?"

She didn't sound too certain of that, especially since she knew she wasn't as smart as stereotypes would lead one to believe. 'Scatter-brained', was how Hallow described her when first signing up for the Guild and she knew her best friend wasn't exaggerating either. She _has_ made some rather stupid decisions in her life, like sleeping in the pouring rain because she couldn't be bothered to find shelter. She'd gotten sick for a few days because of that, yet she did it again soon after, never learning her lesson... Scratch that, she learned it was a bad idea, but her natural inertia always won out in the end. Why was she refusing to evolve again?!

"And if he doesn't?" Hallow voiced in his own concern, snapping her out of her wandering thoughts. "It says he won't listen to reason and he'll likely attack you." He lowered a bit closer to the ground as an expression of sadness. "You'll get hurt..."

"Well," Aura started, looking towards her friend with her ears drooping a bit. "You think you have it in you to attack him yourself? After what happened with your own brother...?" She felt horrible bringing that up, as it was very sensitive territory. But she didn't want to risk him coming on this mission and further reopening that old wound in his figurative heart. And as another point rose in her mind, she attempted to shift away from the sadness a bit. "Besides, the Ninjask is even more unlikely to listen to me if he sees I'm affiliated with a Shedinja. I want to fix their family issues without this whole banishing thing, but I don't wanna expose you to more pain if it does come to that."

More silence and the uncertain Shedinja felt a gentle paw on his 'wing'.

"I can handle myself, buddy." She allowed a soft reassuring smile to grow on her muzzle. "If I run into trouble, it's nothing a Teleport can't handle."

Finally, after a few more minutes, the Shedinja relented with something that could pass as a sigh if he had lungs to exhale such a thing. "Very well..."

Immediately, Hallow found himself on the ground as Aura tackled him affectionately, nuzzling his neck. "Thanks for believing in me, buddy! You relax, I'll be back in a flash!" With that, she glowed white for a second before vanishing as if she was never there. Gathering himself and hovering back in the air, the bug would've sighed again if he could, unable to help the feeling of paranoia...

* * *

Mossy Village, home to many a Bug-type Pokemon. The scenery around here may seem peaceful from a newcomer's point of view, but Void knew that there was always some kind of problem brewing up. Sometimes it's with unruly tourists, and sometimes it was from the residents themselves. The current situation was a good example of the latter. Hovering calmly in the gentle breeze, the Shedinja waited for his message to be answered, casting his unblinking gaze over his beloved village.

The houses that each Bug Pokemon inhabited took the form of a few dozen tall trees, with several arboreal paths of silk linking each of the trunks together. Each tree held a multitude of openings leading into a single comfortable room for each individual Pokemon. And right in the middle of the village stood an especially tall tree, its grand canopy almost filtering out all the sunlight shining in from above. Unlike the others around it, its trunk held no rooms or silken paths; instead it boasted a massive statue of an Ariados to forever remind the residents and visitors of the sacrifice the first Bug Pokemon made to bring this village into being.

It made for a good tourist attraction.

But with new tourists came new problems, especially concerning his brother. While the village was getting increasingly impatient with the Ninjask, it couldn't be argued that they were reluctantly and begrudgingly used to it. But the poor unsuspecting newcomers? Something had to be done...

"Hi!" a voice suddenly greeted out of nowhere as a white flash signaled the arrival of a small Pokemon, who appeared in front of the Shedinja. Startled, Void quickly regained his composure and stared at the young Abra before him.

"You're the Rescuer I requested from Tao Village, correct?" he asked, his stare still unwavering and his voice having the characteristic echo prominent in his kind. Whilst some Pokemon might be unnerved in the presence of such a creature, Aura felt no more discomfort than she did in front of Hallow... Which was none... Smiling as kindly as she could, she gave a nod.

"Aura of Team Ethereal at your service!" She made a dramatic sweeping bow, her energy increasing from her excitement to take on her very first mission! It's just too bad Hallow couldn't be here to share it with her...

"You're the only one in your team?" Void asked in concern and Aura hesitated for a second before shaking her head.

"No," she told him, suddenly downcast. "We decided it would be best if my partner stayed behind. He's... sensitive when it comes to Ninjasks, and I'd rather he didn't get hurt because of it..."

"So you plan to face my brother alone?" Void would've tilted his head if he could, wondering if this act was one of bravery or stupidity.

"If it comes down to it, yeah..." Aura confirmed softly. "I mean, I'd prefer to talk to him, but I'm ready for a fight."

"And what kind of Pokemon is your partner?"

"A Shedinja just like you."

"Ah," Void interjected, bobbing slightly up and down in his unique gesture of a nod. Silence enveloped them for a moment as he looked the young Psychic-type over, Aura self-consciously turning her closed-eyed gaze away. After a bit, he spoke again with another hint of concern. "A bold endeavor, opting to face a faster opponent with a type-advantage."

"More like a suicidal endeavor." Aura chuckled a bit to herself.

"Perhaps, but a noble one as well. My brother may not be able to harm a Shedinja like myself, or your partner, but if he had seen your partner's 'sensitivity', I have little doubt he would've taken advantage in some way."

"My point exactly. Hallow's been through too much, I don't need to add to it," Aura agreed with a flick of her tail. "Speaking of such, what kind of attacks does your brother know?"

"X-Scissor, Fury Cutter, Swords Dance, and Double Team." Void answered, noting the slight wince that came to Aura's face. However, the Abra quickly tried to cover her worry and nodded.

"Sounds about right for a Ninjask," She took a deep breath to calm her nerves before looking back to the Shedinja. "Can you tell me anything more about him, like which Ninjask I'm looking for and where I can find him and such?"

"Of course," Void stated softly, his hint of worry still there. "He's a scruffy looking Ninjask by the name of Gizmo. He's always lingering in the canopy of the border-lining trees over there," -He turned towards a group of trees around the edge of the village- "waiting for unsuspecting visitors to startle. That doesn't sound too bad, but his preferred targets are those climbing the trees, as he likes watching them fall. I'm worried his antics will gravely injure someone, but I can't get him to listen."

"Hopefully, I'll have some luck and we can resolve this peacefully," Aura muttered before offering another grateful bow to the Shedinja. "Thank you, sir."

"It isn't a problem," Void chirped back. "Be careful."

"I will," Again, she glowed white and disappeared from sight with one last mutter. _"I hope..."_

* * *

Appearing onto a low branch of one of the trees in question, Aura made a mental sweep of the area, looking for signs of the Ninjask. Gizmo, his name was. Sensing nothing in the immediate vicinity, she carefully stood, her tail swinging a bit for balance before looking upwards. All she saw was the green of the leaves, but anything could be hidden farther up. Void did say the canopy, after all.

Casting a glance down, she whimpered as the idea of going higher was not a desired one. Her fear of heights was not helping matters. An instinctive thought in her mind asked why she didn't just Teleport into the canopy straight away and she reluctantly knew the answer well. Gizmo tended to target climbers, so climbing would get his attention. She'll just have to brace herself so as not to fall when and if he rushed at her. She also felt inclined to simply call out to the Ninjask, but she didn't want him to get suspicious and avoid her.

Gulping down her fear, she shakily gripped the trunk and began the climb up. Abras were not adept to climbing at all and she was clumsy, but she pulled it off well enough to get the job done. Practically hugging the trunk as she climbed, she forced herself not to look down so as not to freeze in her own terror. Gritting her teeth with exertion, she ignored her lazy nature to take a nice long rest and instead kept going. Higher. Higher. Still higher. Damn it, where's that Ninjask?!

Finally, just as Aura was about to give up and take a breather, the leaves above her began to rustle. Not a split-second later, a blur rushed passed her close enough to feel the edge of the buzzing wings, the unseen creature shouting at the top of its lungs as it flew.

"THINK FAST!"

Even when she was expecting it, she still startled with a cry, losing her grip on the trunk. Feeling her heart skip a beat as she fell, she reflexively reached out and caught hold of a branch. Eyes and mouth wide in terror, she managed to pull her chest up onto the branch, her tail swishing the air frantically to balance as her feet practically clawed the limb to get a good hold. Gaining secure footing after a few seconds, she tried to catch her breath as the laughter above her died off with disappointment.

"Aw, I was hoping you'd fall all the way. Catching yourself isn't nearly as fun."

Looking up in horror, Aura saw the Ninjask hovering a couple yards away, staring down at her with mischievous red eyes. His statement slowly making sense in her mind, she was at a loss for words.

"...All...The...Way..." As the button in her head clicked, she glared at him angrily, her ears firmly pinned back against her head. "Are you _trying_ to kill me?!"

"Kill you? Hardly," He gave an amused scoff, his enjoyment increasing when Aura looked down at the ground far below them with a whimper. Snickering as he readied his claws, his own eyes narrowed with malicious glee. "I just wanna see you hit the ground."

At once, the Ninjask vanished from sight and Aura felt claws push her off the branch and she lost her footing once more. Barely able to grab onto her branch, she felt the Ninjask slam into her to get her to let go. Unable to keep her grip, she screamed as she tumbled, barely grabbing another branch. And again, the speedy bug tried to knock her off.

"Stop it!" Aura shrieked as the assault continued. "Stop it!" There goes that branch and she frantically grabbed for another, her heart just about ready to explode out of her chest. "Stop it!" She couldn't even get herself situated this time before she was forced to fall and landed with a grunt on the limb below. "STOP IT!"

Unable to take it anymore, she gathered her rage and fear into a Shadow Ball and launched it where the Ninjask was seen hovering. The offending Pokemon gave a cry of surprise before dodging the move. For a moment, it was quiet except for the Ninjask's buzzing wings and Aura's heavy breathing. Looking to the Abra below him, the Ninjask observed the little Psychic Pokemon before tilting his head, his eyes showing that he was smirking.

"An Abra that knows something _other_ than Teleport? That's different. Although..." The insect's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why _aren't_ you Teleporting? Isn't running away what Abras like you are known for?"

"I don't run away when I have a job to do..." Aura stated when she caught her breath. She stood up on the branch, bracing herself just in case he lunged again. Inwardly, she was grateful for a break from fearing for her life, even if it'll turn out to be for a short time. Looking over the Ninjask herself, she frowned a bit. "You _are_ Gizmo, right?" Although she was next to certain that this was the Ninjask she was looking for, there was no harm in making sure.

Instantly, the bug's suspicious look intensified and he spoke with a soft underlying hiss. "So what if I am? What's it to you?"

"We need to talk, like right now." Aura stated firmly. This earned a huff from the hovering insect, who crossed his arms defiantly.

"Talk about what?"

"About the way you're acting an-"

"My brother sent you, didn't he?" Gizmo interrupted, his question spoken with a note of irritated certainty. At this, Aura hesitated before quickly attempting to keep her answer vague, not wanting to give the Ninjask added initiative to dismiss her.

"Maybe he did OR maybe, just _maybe_, I'm simply working for Mossy Village as a whole. You ever thought of that before automatically accusing your brother?" she told him before getting to the point. "You could've killed me, y'know. Or at the very least, seriously harmed me. You really think knocking me down from this height would be a good idea?"

"I never said it was a good idea, now did I?" Gizmo growled. "I just enjoy doing it. Maybe someone _will_ get hurt eventually, but it won't be my problem. Besides, I'm sure if you felt oh-so-threatened enough, you could Teleport to safety before you even hit the ground."

"Granted, but not all Pokemon can Teleport or fly. What if I had been one of them, huh? I doubt you would've treated me any different if I had been a Pikachu or a Rattata! Or what if I panicked and couldn't think straight while plummeting to my death?! Teleporting isn't a reflexive action, y'know!" Sighing a bit to relieve the anger quickly building up inside her, she kept her tone steady as she continued. "What I'm saying is that hurting others isn't going to be without consequence to you. Your village has had quite enough of your obnoxious and _dangerous_ behavior. THAT'S why they sent for me!"

"Like I'm gonna be scared of a little Abra," Gizmo said contemptuously. "An unevolved, slower, disadvantaged Pokemon. Ha!" He shook his head before waving her off. "Just go back to sleep and mind your own Arceus-damned business."

As much as Aura wanted to do just that out of frustration and sheer laziness, she pushed those feelings aside and tried to keep herself calm and patient. "I'm not going anywhere until you promise to behave yourself. Trust me, dude, it's for your own good."

"No," Gizmo drawled. "What's good for me is everyone else leaving me alone! They all need to remove the sticks shoved up their asses, especially my brother! And don't you dare try to tell me he had nothing to do with this! Being smart doesn't make you a good liar, Abra."

Aura flicked her ear nervously, knowing that this method of negotiation wasn't working. Void was right when he said that this bug won't listen to reason. But before she could speak out again, Gizmo zoomed right up in her face, his glaring eyes practically boring into hers.

"I'm not changing who I am to accommodate some overprivileged _asshole_ like Void. If he or anyone else has a problem with that, then they can kiss. My. Ass! Now," -He narrowed his eyes to practical slits- "get out of my tree, or I'll make you."

This wasn't working and Aura knew she had no choice...

Glowing white, she indeed Teleported out of sight. But before Gizmo could even begin to contemplate his small victory, he heard a _whoosh!_ coming from behind and he threw himself out of the way. A Shadow Ball narrowly missed him and he glared up to see Aura on another branch, cursing under her breath for having missed. Hissing, Gizmo flew forward with such speed that he vanished, only to reappear before the Abra with an X-Scissor. The attack hitting home, the little Psi Pokemon cried out with pain and almost lost her footing again. Not liking the close proximity with the cicada, she Teleported away once again.

Glancing around himself, Gizmo was braced for another Shadow Ball when instead he felt a sudden weight on his back. Realizing that it was the Abra in question, he flew about in a circle at top speed, Aura holding on for dear life as she screamed. She was hoping her weight would send the bug tumbling, but he was obviously stronger than she gave him credit for. Trying to focus, a blue haze enveloped her body and spread onto him. Instantly, the Ninjask felt his wings freeze in place and he was slammed into a tree just as Aura Teleported off.

Sliding down the trunk onto a branch with a pained groan, Gizmo shakily got to all four claws and shook himself off. Recovering as best he could through the pain, he glared around for that stupid little brat.

"I really don't like hurting you, Gizmo," a voice came from a branch high above and he snapped his attention up to see the Abra sitting there with a concerned look on her face. "Please, just listen to me and say you'll change for the better. Then I'll leave you alone."

"Over my dead body, runt!" Gizmo snarled before seemingly splitting into two Ninjasks, then four, then eight.

_Great,_ Aura's thoughts echoed sarcastically through her mind. _Double Team. Just what I was hoping for..._

All the Ninjasks at once lunged for her and she immediately Teleported with a cry. However, Gizmo already knew that she wasn't going to go far, and it was getting difficult for her to hide with so many eyes around. Every second, it seemed she was getting caught and her energy for Teleportation was starting to run low. She had to do something before she tired herself out completely.

Another blue haze shrouded over her and a massive wave of energy surged from her body in a Psychic attack, disintegrating all the Ninjasks surrounding her. But wait, where was the real-

She didn't get time to finish that thought before an invisible force struck her from behind with a Fury Cutter. Crying out, she felt the familiar feeling of falling before she felt the pain of getting struck again. And again. And again. Each blow was a lot more painful than the last and she was practically helpless as she was thrown through the air like a rag-doll. Finally, the attacks ceased and she fell the rest of the way to the ground. Luckily, their battle has gotten them closer to the forest floor, so the impact wasn't as bad as it could have been.

It still didn't help that she was wracked with pain. She wasn't a particularly strong or talented Abra, and she doubted that even a Kadabra could withstand such an assault. Gasping for breath, she slowly got up to her hands and knees, feeling that nothing had been broken in the fall. Only a small spark of relief came from that and she looked up as Gizmo flew down to land on nearby branch, glaring at her.

"That's your final warning. Get out."

Maybe she should heed him this time. She was obviously way out of her league. Maybe she should leave this task to someone more capable and better equipped to handle an opponent like this. She should just retreat, tell Void her apologies, then return back to Tao Village for a trip to Nurse Cheryl Chansey and a good long nap. Yeah... that sounded good right about now...

But before she could do or say anything, a ear-piercing screech full of fear echoed through the air for miles. Both Pokemon visibly startled and Gizmo looked over to the source. The scream was very familiar to both of them, as it was a sound unique to only one species of Pokemon both spent ample time with.

"Finally, _someone's_ answered my request to have that asshole Shedinja taken down a few pegs," He returned his glare to Aura and grinned mockingly. "So sorry I couldn't give you a proper goodbye, but I ain't gonna miss this for the world!"

Without further hesitation, Gizmo flew off towards the shriek's source, leaving the Abra to wonder what the hell was going on and what the hell she should do now...

* * *

This was originally intended to be a One-shot, but it began to get too long for my liking. I prefer to keep my One-shots under 10,000 words and this story was getting pretty close to that despite the fact that I'm not finished with it yet! XD Anywho, I really do hope someone out there enjoyed this and will tell me what to think in their review whilst I put the next chapter together!

Thanks for reading :D !


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the Pokemon franchise or any of its characters.

There hasn't been any interest in this story here, but I'm submitting this chapter anyway! :D

* * *

Chapter 2

"HEEEELP!"

That bloodcurdling cry still echoed through the forest with no sign of stopping. Shedinjas weren't particularly speedy Pokemon, but that was irrelevant as Void sped through the trees as fast as he could. He couldn't comprehend why this was happening to him! He's done nothing wrong and actively goes out of his way to be kind and helpful. In fact, he was just relaxing in his favorite open field whilst he waited for Aura to return, overall minding his own business. He eventually spotted movement in his peripheral vision and turned, expecting to see the young Abra or perhaps even his brother. But instead, he saw a Houndoom and Gliscor, both of whom wasted little time in launching completely unprovoked attacks on him.

He's been fleeing for his life for the past few moments now, although to him, it felt like an eternity.

Whimpering, the small Pokemon barely managed to dodge a stream of fire surging for him and he tried even harder to go faster, pushing his spiritual energy to its limit. He didn't even know where he was going anymore, as all he could focus on was escape.

But even that was being denied to him as he forced himself to come to a stop, staring up in horror as a cliff loomed over him, effectively trapped with no way out. Turning around, he saw his attackers blocking his last retreat. He knew that if he had a heart, it would be racing painfully in his terror. Forcing his way past it as best he could, he managed to let out a defensive growl at the Houndoom and Gliscor, both of whom were smirking with their own snarls. They knew their target was trapped, and now they can carry on with business.

"Stay back! I'm warning you!" Void shrieked as he spotted embers of flame coming from their jaws. Practically shivering, he knew his threat was falling on deaf ears and that he only had one way out of this situation. His very life depended on it! "This is your last warning! Retreat now, before I retaliate!"

"Try it, insect," the Houndoom snickered pompously, knowing full well that the Bug/Ghost was at a severe disadvantage against them both. "What can a weakling like you possibly do?"

"V... Very w-well..." the Shedinja stuttered in as best a firm tone as he could muster. "I-I hate to come to this, but you left me no choice." He was NOT gonna allow himself to be beaten and possibly killed like this. It was either their lives or his... A purple haze began to envelope around him before he turned around completely.

"Hey!" The Gliscor snapped. "Don't turn your back o-" The bat-scorpion Pokemon cut himself off, staring at the hole on the Shedinja's back, unable to look away. The Houndoom watched his companion in confusion and was about to speak out to him when the purple mist quickly shot out to engulf the Gliscor, linking him to the Shedinja before the glider suddenly collapsed on the ground. Almost immediately, the mysterious energy dissipitated as if it was never there.

Snapping out of his shocked state at what just happened, the demon-dog quickly padded over to his comrade and nudged him with his snout.

"Kite! Kite, get up!" But there was no response. Giving a desperate snarl, the Fire/Dark-type barked out his words in a commanding voice. "As leader, I demand you to get off your lazy ass!" That didn't work either and he tried something guaranteed to be full-proof. "Kite, your name is stupid and sissy, and I can think of a million other better names when I'm drunk!" That usually got to the Poison-type, but again there was nothing.

Lowering his ear to his friend's chest, he listened intently for any signs of life. Nothing.

Eyes and mouth wide, he stared at the body at his feet, hardly comprehending what had happened. Kite was just fine a moment ago and then-

Glaring harshly at the Shedinja, he saw the bug had turned back to them and a mournful whistle came from the hollow shell, along with apologetic words. "I'm sorry, but I gave you warning. Please, take heed this time and leave. Now."

"YOU KILLED HIM, YOU BASTARD!" the Houndoom practically roared before unleashing an extremely violent burst of flame. The panicked Shedinja barely threw himself out of the way in time and was about to repeat his defensive soul-stealing when he was tackled to the ground by the severely pissed off hound, crying out in pain as he was pinned mercilessly. The canine made no hesitation in clamping his jaws into the ghostly husk, almost crushing the brittle shell altogether. Giving a savage shake, he threw the smaller Pokemon aside to crash into the ground.

Void had fallen unconscious already, his Wonder Guard useless against the Crunch. There really wasn't a need to continue; the mission at hand had been completed. But the Houndoom had vengeance in his mind and he rushed over to repeat the brutal attack, Void nearly in shreds as he was thrown into a tree. Dashing over to the fallen Pokemon, he switched tactics and clamped down on one of the Shedinja's wings, beginning to tear even further into him. So absorbed he was in this that he failed to notice the rustle of the tree tops until a shrill voice called out.

"STOP KILLING MY BROTHER!"

Seemingly out of nowhere, an invisible force slammed itself into the larger Pokemon, becoming visible upon impact to reveal the Ninjask. Without allowing any time for the hound to recover, the insect charged again, lashing out with his claws repeatedly in a Fury Cutter attack. And the move's namesake was an accurate term as Gizmo was practically shrieking with rage. Pausing for just an instant as his claws began to glow from red to green, he vanished as Houndoom tried to retaliate with Flamethrower, appearing behind him and lashing out with an endless barrage of X-Scissor.

Under this merciless assault from the practically invisible ninja, it wasn't long before the Houndoom was lying on the floor unconscious, the Ninjask panting heavily as he glared at his opponent. Feeling his rage slowly began to ease off, he looked towards the other two motionless bodies nearby.

He didn't catch the whole battle, having arrived just as Houndoom tackled his brother to the ground, the Gliscor seemingly fainted from a previous battle session he missed out on. At first, Gizmo was planning to stay hidden to enjoy the show when he saw the continued, unnecessary violence and heard that dreaded ripping noise. Yes, he made the request to have some Rogues attack his brother, but he only wanted it to be a minor thing with no more damage than if Void simply lost a regular battle. Gizmo was a trouble-maker, but despite his words of bluster spoken earlier, he was no cold-blooded murderer. Especially not of his own brother, no matter how pompous he thought he was.

A flash of movement appeared in the midst of the former battle scene, and Aura looked about with an expression of horror. She tried to get herself to speak, her voice being nothing but a broken whisper and her exhaustion from the previous battle having nothing to do with the soft tone. "Wha... What h-happened...?"

She didn't get a response as Gizmo flew over to his brother hurriedly and landed in a stumble. He reached out an uncertain claw and nudged the crumpled hollow shell. He didn't get a response and he scanned his sibling's body, his red eyes widening in horror. Void's entire body was riddled with tears and cracks, and his right wing was almost entirely ripped from his body. If the Shedinja had blood, there would be no doubt that it would be pouring into a large pool beneath him.

Feeling his eyes sting with tears, Gizmo gave his brother another nudge before looking up as Aura in turn hurried over. For once, he held no animosity for anyone and it was as if he was a completely different Pokemon altogether. Practically whimpering, he was on the verge of breaking down into sobs and his voice was a mournful choke. "I...I-I think he's...he's... dead..."

"We don't know that," Aura reassured shakily, gently running her paw over the motionless body. "Shedinjas don't have vital signs, so how can we...?" She swallowed a bit, her eyes taking note of a small detail. "His halo's still glowing... I think that's a good sign..." True, said halo was barely giving off light, but it was something at least. Looking to the Ninjask, she tried to keep back her own tears as she sniffled. "He's unconscious, but alive... We just need to wait for him to wake up, is all..."

"O... Okay..." Gizmo replied with a clearing of his throat, his pride refusing to let him break down in front of the Abra. Unfortunately, what Aura wasn't telling him was her true thoughts of Void's fate, as she felt horrible having the break the news. It was obvious that it'll only make the distress even worse.

A few moments of silence passed, with Gizmo fidgeting restlessly almost every few seconds and nudging his brother just as constantly. Aura gently rebuked the Ninjask's impatience, but she knew he couldn't be entirely at fault for his worry.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a small movement occurred from the fallen husk as if he was trying to hover, only to collapse back down. Instantly, the Ninjask bounced up and scooted closer to the Shedinja's side, relieved chirps coming from the living insect as he gathered his sibling in his arms.

"Bro! You're awake! You're okay! Oh man, I'm so glad you're alive! I thought you were a goner!" he exclaimed so fast that the words might as well have melded together. No further movement came from the shell, whose vision slowly began to return to see a blurry gold-and-black blob staring at him. The blurriness only subsided for a second, but it was enough for his pain-filled mind to recognize the other Pokemon.

"G... Giz... mo...?"

"Yeah!" Gizmo practically shouted in his excitement, his eyes showing that he was smiling despite the tears still easing down his cheeks. "Yeah, it's me!" His elation was only getting stronger that his brother could recognize him, as if he wasn't aware of how weak sounding his sibling's voice was. However, he had to be blind to ignore the horrible physical state the husk was in and to say he was crestfallen was an extreme understatement. "Void... I..."

He swallowed a bit, having never voiced these words for as long as he could remember. "I'm... so very, _very_ sorry..." Finally feeling his body wretch and shudder, he threw his pride to the wind and buried his face into Void's torn body, his tears now completely unhindered. "I'm sorry... Everything was my fault! I... I didn't mean for it to come this far! I... I just wanted... I... I'M SORRY!"

There was silence, except for the sobbing from Gizmo, and it lasted for a few moments before Void's soft voice sounded with great effort. "You... You did... W...Why...?" The broken Pokemon couldn't understand his brother's involvement in this. Gizmo couldn't have heard about the plan to banish him in time to set this chain of events in action. The only logical explanation was that this was made in advance, and even that made little sense. But the ghostly insect wasn't in the dark for too long before the Ninjask answered shamefully.

"I... I hired them to... hurt you... I-I didn't think that..." He choked a bit on his words, taking a deep shaky breath as he pulled his face from the torn shell. Unable to make eye contact, however, he looked off to the side as he continued. "I... was frustrated and wasn't thinking..." Another breath and Gizmo felt his body fill with both anger and self-loathing. "I was getting tired of your stupid know-it-all attitude! And your stupid 'I'm-so-better-than-you' stupid Wonder Guard stuff... and... and stupid... stupid!"

He wasn't even making sense anymore...

Rubbing his eyes with his claw, he forced himself to calm down so that he could explain more clearly. "Nowadays, every time we meet, it's like... It's like you're always chiding me for _something_, like you're always looking down at me. Always trying to tell me what to do and stuff... I... I got sick of it so... I only wanted them to rough you up a bit... And to show you that you're not all that... But..." He sighed with a shake of his head. "But it went horribly wrong... and I'm sorry..."

This time, the silence was almost too palpable to bear, and it took everything the Ninjask had to keep his composure. Finally, the strained voice of his brother spoke up. "... G... Gizmo..."

Immediately, the other bug cried out once more. "PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE ME! I'M SORRY! I'M SOR-!"

"Gizmo," Void interrupted, succeeding in getting his brother to fall silent. Shuddering heavily, the empty husk tried to gather his thoughts through his agony and to force his voice to work. "I... I'm... sorry... myself..."

"For what?" Gizmo piped up in confusion, not knowing why his brother would apologize for anything!

"I'm sorry... for making you feel that way. I... never intended..." His halo dimmed a bit before flashing, as if the Shedinja was making a point of not leaving this world without a fight. "I... _never_ thought that I was better than you... Never has that th-thought even cross my mind... Simply because it's not true..." Finally, eye-contact was made with the other insect. "Gizmo... You're a strong bug... A _fast_ bug... I'm just your empty shell... There's no comparison..." Judging from his voice, he would be smiling if he could, wishing to reassure his sibling. "If anything... I should be jealous of you..."

Eyes wide, Gizmo stared back at his sibling's empty eyes before lowering his gaze. All this time, he's been misinterpreting everything his brother said and done. The vibe of superiority was never there and it was just in his mind... and now his brother was paying the price. Void seemed to have noticed the Ninjask's inner guilt and forced his voice to work again.

"Gizmo... I'm only trying to do what's best... Your past behavior has been... troublesome... and the village has been..." He decided not to finish that sentence and instead carried on with his explanation. "I was trying to... help you... protect you... I'm sorry it came off as trying to control you... Know that that wasn't my intention..." Pausing to gather his strength once more and allowing his words to sink in, he continued in a whisper. "And even my... rash decision to have you banished... was, in the end, for your own good..."

"B... Banished...?" Gizmo muttered back in shock. He was self-aware of his actions, of his rebellious, unruly, and obnoxious behavior. But he didn't think he was worthy of banishment. That meant... Gizmo looked to Aura. "That's why you were after me..."

Aura pinned her ears down and looked away, fiddling with her paws as she spoke. "I didn't wanna have to come to that. I was hoping to talk to you and get you to understand, without having you ever know the fate in store for you otherwise."

"I sent her," Void carried on. "because I d-didn't want... to have to do it... myself. I... didn't want you... to know that it was my plan..." The Ghost/Bug would shake his head if he could. "I apologize..."

More silence as this information began to sink in. A strong flash of resentment rose in the cicada, but he quickly squandered that. Despite his anger, he told himself that his brother was looking out for him. Though he couldn't help but wonder what the village was planning to do if banishment seemed like the more favorable action... A shudder went through his shell, his drooping wings droning a bit before going silent. Seeing this, Void knew what was going through his sibling's mind and when he spoke again, it was in a pleading tone.

"Please, brother... You have to stop causing such trouble... Terrible things will happen... if you don't... Things your speed _can't_ defend you from," A soft whimper came from his torn throat. "Please, Gizmo... If not for me, then for yourself... Think about what you're doing... _before_ you do it... Please... I don't want you... getting hurt..."

Another moment of silence as Gizmo stared at his brother. He knew that if this had been under normal circumstances, he would've told his brother to take his words and stick it up hard. But this time, he knew he couldn't be so dismissive. And so, with a gentle smile, he gave a nod and he practically felt the relief radiating from his brother's body.

"I will," he added soft verbal assurance before feeling a painful stab at his heart. Choking a bit on his tears again, he spoke with a pleading tone quite unlike himself. "And you will be right by me the whole way through! You're going to be there to tell me how good I'm doing! Or yell at me for doing something wrong, and then I'll get pissed and try to Fury Cutter you, and you will have that stupid Wonder Guard, and then we'll both fume for the rest of the day only to try again the next morning!" He grinned as his eyes glistened with even more tears. "Just like we always do, except I'll actually listen! ... Eventually... Sometimes... Maybe!"

This little joke succeeded in getting a pained chuckle from his brother and it lifted Gizmo's spirits a bit. "I will watch over you, even if... even _when_ I lose all further use for this physical form..."

"Wha...?" Gizmo trailed in confusion, glancing at Aura in a panic before gulping down the lump growing in his throat. "What're you talking about?" He didn't get a response, Void simply staring at him calmly. The Ninjask's mind putting the pieces together, he felt his heart skip a beat and he shook his head desperately. "No... NO! You can't leave me, bro! You can't! You..." His brain scrambled for some kind of rational reassurance and he made no hesitation in voicing it when he found one. "You're a Ghost-type! Ghost-type Pokemon can't die!"

A flash of uncertainty caused him to look to the Abra across from him. "Can they...?"

Aura made no response, not knowing the answer herself as she's never had experience in anything regarding the topic. Luckily, Void found the strength to explain. "Ghosts or not... we're still Pokemon... We're still mortal... Just a different kind of mortal..." Seeing the distressed confusion deepen in Gizmo's eyes, he attempted to hover shakily, only to collapse right back down into his sibling's arms. Whimpering, the Ninjask shifted his grip on Void, eyes quickly scanning for any further damage before returning his attention to the Shedinja's hollow eyes. "This body is too broken... and my control of it is too weak... I can't carry on, and soon... I'll have to depart from this world."

"No..." Gizmo denied, his eyes pouring more tears that dripped onto the shell's torn body. "No! I won't let you! I can fix this! We can take you back to the village and they can fix you up! They can..." Trailing off as Aura placed a paw on his shoulder, he saw her shake her head in a clear message. Void was beyond help with such severe damage as this. Shaking his head even more as he began to sob, his words become even more irrational. "Then I'll shed again! I'll give you a new body! And then you can stay and never leave! Please, Void! PLEASE!"

"Gizmo..."

Said Ninjask opened his eyes, barely able to see his brother through his tears. But that hindrance didn't matter as he can still feel the gentle vibe radiating from Void's body, and he couldn't help but calm just a little bit. Silence blanketed over them, broken only by the occasional sniffs and hiccups from Gizmo, and after a few moments, Void's halo began to flicker.

"Brother..." he whispered so softly that it was barely audible. "I... I love you..."

Gizmo felt stunned at those words, words never spoken to him from the Shedinja... or anyone else for that matter... Wiping his eyes as dry as he could manage, the ninja bug took a deep shaky breath and offered the most caring smile his face could pull off. "I-I love you too, bro..."

The Shedinja shifted a bit despite the pain, and Gizmo alone recognized the movement as a calm, affectionate nod. Nodding back, Gizmo could do nothing but watch as that tell-tale halo blinked on and off, each flash of light getting noticably weaker. Finally, after a long moment, the halo dimmed out completely and Gizmo whimpered as he lifted a claw and tapped the floating crescent. A small flash responded to the tap before that too died off. The dulled halo then fell to the ground with a soft _thump_.

"V-Void?" Gizmo muttered uncertainly, not getting any response whatsoever. Gently shaking the other insect, he knew that it was useless and for the first time in his life, he felt completely alone and unsure of what to do. Just staring at the creature in his arms, he realized that with the absence of the halo and without that subtle spark of life, it looked as though he was cradling a regular empty husk. Sure the husk has seen better days, but it never truely hit him until now just how fragile his brother's existence was, being nothing more than a brittle shell against a harsh and cruel world.

For once, he didn't find that Wonder Guard ability quite so stupid anymore...

"I love you too, bro..." Gizmo whispered, everything around him disappearing into the very corners of his mind as he nuzzled his tear-soaked face into his brother's hollow corpse. "I l-love you too..."

* * *

So sad, everyone falling victim to misunderstanding... RIP Void... and Kite too, even though he was unimportant. Anywho, I hope the few people reading this are enjoying this story.


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